UKIP councillor says it’s ‘time to start killing’ Remain backers

There's been plenty of stupid behaviour by politicians over the last few weeks - too much to list here if we don't want to be writing for the next week - but this may well take the brexit.

A UKIP councillor is being investigated after writing on Facebook that it was "time to start killing" those people who had voted to remain in the European Union during last month's referendum.

He was replying to a Sun article (first mistake there Terry) which was detailing the possible legal challenges to Brexit taking place. As you can see, it wasn't just one comment - when challenged, he reiterated, "Not threatening anyone, no need for threats just a bullet."

Coming in the wake of the murder of Yorkshire MP Jo Cox, seemingly as an act against her pro-EU views, these comments are, at best, spectacularly misjudged - and at worst, an incitement to lethal violence.

Cllr Nathan told Kent News, "It was intended with a pinch of salt. I did not think anyone would take it seriously but some have and I greatly regret this. It was honestly intended as a ridiculous overstatement. Anyone would tell you that I hold dear both respect and democracy. I would never seriously have advocated such violence. I apologise for any offence taken as this was never intended."

The party seemed to rush to his defence, with a spokesman saying, “Cllr Nathan was obviously joking. He has apologised. We don’t see the need for a show trial. His joke was in very poor taste, but we have spoken to him and he is mortified. There seems no advantage to anyone to take it further.”

David Livett, leader of UKIP on Bromley Council, added, “The remarks were an error of judgement that allowed offence, they were not sinister.”

The unsuccessful 2015 UKIP candidate for Bromley and Chislehurst, Emmett Jenner, further, told Kent News, “Terry said it was meant in jest and he realises with hindsight that it was sarcastic and didn’t translate well to social media. I certainly would not advocate disciplining someone for that. It was in poor taste, but no.”

However, others were not going to simply let it slide.

Julie Ireland, secretary of the Bromley Lib Dems said that Nathan has been reported to the Bromley Council chief executive, commenting, "UKIP has to condemn this immediately. It’s absolutely outrageous."

Bromley Police have confirmed that they, "are aware of comments apparently posted online by a Bromley Councillor" and that enquiries are ongoing, while a spokesman for the council commented, "The council has launched an investigation into the alleged comments made but it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."

While the Twittersphere can often create mass hysteria over very little, this seems to be one occasion where the outrage is justified.